British Word of the Day: snigger - a quiet, grating type of laugh, usually under one's breath. (American's "snicker.") eg: "Don't snigger at me behind my back--I can hear you."
Today was another reading day. I'm onto some Sensationalist Victorian Fiction, namely The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. I've already gasped in surprise/amusement, and I'm only about 150 pages into the 650 it requires. This is due to be read by Friday, along with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. Should be an adventure of a day tomorrow.
I have much to do, so I'll have to leave it at that. The weekend will be good--rejuvenating, methinks.
My long essay proposal was due on Monday, and I'm writing on how the biographical history of the Brownings affected their poetry. There are some books in the Bodleian Library I need to order up from the stacks, so I can read them when I go--instead of sitting in their uncomfortable chairs and still falling asleep.
The "stacks" that you must order from the Bod are quite literally underneath your feet when you walk in. You STAND on knowledge to enter the library. Metaphorical and literal--just my cup of tea! (Or cappucino, depending on the day and amount of sleep snatched in the early morning.)
Cheers to Friday night - Sunday afternoon!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Try reading from a library ladder---don't dare fall asleep then! U of IL library is mostly underground; you can't go in the stacks at all---they are on tracks that collapse forward and back (no aisles), and any book can be retrieved only by some lackey library minion. BUT---each dept. also has its own library---imagine all of TCC's library holdings being the U of IL English Dept. library, in its own building.
ReplyDeleteWilkie Collins---O joy! some fun, what! If only some H. Rider Haggard---oppressive BritEmpire adventurism . . . .
I'm so glad you're reading _Jekyll & Hyde; give me your observations about RLS's style as well as thematics (in comparison with other stuff you've read up to now)--is he a break-away-from-Victorian-convention writer, or not?
*Remember the RLS short story, for a pub discussion . . . .
Take care--JC
Well this is my second try at posting a comment. Not sure I'm doing it right. But it's hard to pur out your heart and then just have it disappear into cyber space! Anyway, I continue to pray for your well-being and stamina as you read more books than seems physically possible! Meanwhile I'm reading for pleasure though from my choice of books it would seem otherwise! I'm reading the one you got for Christmas now and it is kind of depressing! Next one is gonna be a funny one! Hang in there kiddo! Love, Mom.
ReplyDeleteI take issue with your Long Essay topic in that "it's not an-historical statement."
ReplyDelete